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There is only a month left until the National Senior Certificate matric examinations officially begin. With the outcome of this result being integral for one’s future, it does not come without a bit of anxiety.
According to the Department of Basic Education in South Africa, a National Senior Certificate (NSC) examination, also known as matric, “has become an annual event of major public significance. It not only signifies the culmination of twelve years of formal schooling, but the NSC examinations are a barometer of the health of the education system.”
Learners who pass these examinations are later awarded the National Senior Certificate, a high school qualification used for entry into tertiary education and the job market.
For many, this comes with an enormous amount of anxiety.
Reginsights explains that matriculants tend to stress because of a culmination of several factors. These include academic pressure, uncertainty about their future, and pressure from peers and family members.
“Matric students often experience academic pressure due to the heavy workload, constant assessments, and final exams. Their expectation to achieve high marks can create an overwhelming fear of failure,” explains the above-mentioned source.
However, many of these could be avoided by implementing the right strategies to reduce unnecessary tension.
Useful steps may include:
- Creating a structured study plan
- Setting realistic goals
- Practicing relaxation exercises/ finding a hobby
- Staying connected with loved ones
If remembering the content of your work is what you struggle with, here are useful tips recommended by the University of North Carolina that will help.
- Understand first – comprehension makes memorisation easier.
- Link it – connect new info to something you already know.
- Sleep on it – review material before bed to aid memory consolidation.
- Self-test – quiz yourself instead of rereading; wait before testing retention.
- Distributed practice – repeat and space study sessions over time.
- Write it out – handwriting and speaking aloud reinforce memory.
- Exercise – improves memory by boosting brain function.
Also see: KZN class of 2024 comes out on top as matric results are released